Designer: Unknown (1889), Harry S. Colt (1920, Redesign), Martin Hawtree (2006, Redesign), Frank Pont/Mike Clayton (2023, Bunker Restoration)
Location: Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
History: Originally founded in 1885 by a group led by Scottish banker John Lumsden, Dublin Golf Club moved to its current location on Bull Island in 1889. It’s unclear who designed this early course, but it’s fair to say it was held in high regard, earning a Royal designation in 1891. The course was taken over by the British military in 1914 for World War I and emerged damaged beyond repair in 1918. Today’s course is the work of famed architect Harry S. Colt, who built a new links in 1920 following the War. Martin Hawtree performed an extensive redesign in 2006 and more recently the bunkers were restored by CDP Golf.
Royal Dublin has a storied tournament history, hosting the most Irish Amateur Opens (29) of any course and the second most Irish Opens (6). The Irish Open was held here three years in a row between 1983 and 1985 with Seve Ballesteros and Bernhard Langer winning the event. Legendary Irish golfer Christy O’Connor Sr. became head professional in 1959 and was with the Club until his death in 2016. He famously won the 1966 Carroll’s International at Royal Dublin, closing with an eagle-birdie-eagle to stun second place competitor Eric Brown. The course is considered one of the best in Ireland, earning the following awards:
- #98 Best Course in the UK & Ireland – Top100golfcourses.com (2025)
- #24 Best Course in Ireland – Golf Digest (2024)
- #19 Best Course in Ireland – Top100golfcourses.com (2025)
- #4 Best Course in Dublin – Top100golfcourses.com (2022)
Conditions: 9/10, A proper links, Royal Dublin is kept in excellent firm and fast condition with true greens and well-kept bunkers.
Value: 3/10, Golf in Ireland has gotten very expensive for visitors and Royal Dublin is no exception, with rates ranging from £270 to £295.
Scorecard:
Tee Par Yardage Rating Slope
Blue 72 7289 76.1 138
White 72 6925 74.6 132
Yellow 72 6484 72.5 127
Red 74 5948 75.9 136
Hole Descriptions: Located on the man-made Bull Island just outside of downtown Dublin, Royal Dublin occupies a narrow and very flat property with perfect sandy soil for links golf. Routed in a classic out-and-back links fashion, the front 9 (with two par 3 exceptions) runs north while the back 9 heads south and back towards the clubhouse. While it may lack the drama and views of some other Irish courses, this is an enjoyable, fair, no-nonsense course with especially strong bunkering and green sites and an impressive history. Its location just outside Dublin makes it especially easy to access for international visitors as well. All-in-all, this is a very solid course and lovely addition to any Irish golf trip.
Often playing downwind, the outward 9 is the shorter side and plays as a par 35 with three par threes. Many of these holes are straight and tight, and lined by a fence of OB down the right. The opening hole is a straightaway 372 yard par 4 with a narrow fairway lined by rough down either side, a right crossbunker around 250 yards, and OB to the far right. This green slopes back-to-front and is defended by a bunker short left.
The 2nd hole brings you closer to the edge of the property and continues in the same direction as a 459 yard reachable par 5. This is a slight dogleg right with fescue and OB down the right and a hidden drainage ditch down the left the entire way. The fairway turns slightly to the right around 230 yards, with a bunker on the inside corner of the dogleg and another up on the left at 275 yards. Like many greens at Royal Dublin, this one is elevated and well-defended with bunkers left and well-short right. This putting surface contains several mounds and overall slopes back-to-front.
Sandwiched between the 4th and 14th, the 3rd hole is a narrow 375 yard par 4 and one of the more interesting holes on the course. Nicknamed “Alps” due to a large mound of rough just to your left off the teebox, this is somewhat of a blind teeshot to a tight fairway lined by additional mounds of rough on the right. There are numerous attractive bunkers well-short of this narrow, back-to-front sloped green containing several mounds.
The 4th hole is one of the rare holes at Royal Dublin to buck the north-south trend and plays back towards the clubhouse as an 154 yard par 3. With wonderful views of Dublin Port and the Wicklow Mountains in the distance, this is a pretty one-shotter with a large, relatively flat green defended by three deep bunkers short.
At 425 yards, the 5th hole turns back to the north as a lengthy straightaway par 4. With mounds of heavy fescue running down either side and an extremely narrow fairway, this is quite an intimidating teeshot that plays as hard as it looks. This is the only bunkerless hole on the course and features a green that slopes slightly front-to-back surrounded by tight lies and fescue. Although the majority of difficulty at Royal Dublin is found on the longer, brawnier back 9, I would say this is comfortably the most difficult hole on the course and one of the hardest you’ll find anywhere.
The 6th hole plays similarly but not quite as tight as a 510 yard par 5. With mounds of fescue and rough down either side and two bunkers down the left, this hole demands accuracy as anything errant here will likely be lost. There are several well-placed crossbunkers on either side in sequential fashion in the final 100 yards on your way towards an elevated, right-to-left sloped severe green lined by another bunker short.
A new hole from Martin Hawtree in 2006, the 7th is the other par 3 to play in the opposite direction at 163 yards. This is a fairly simple hole with an elongated green containing horizontal mounding defended by a front left bunker, tight lies, and a small pond short right.
If I had to pick my favorite hole at Royal Dublin, it would probably be 8th, a sporty 346 par 4. Playing as a slight dogleg left, this hole gives golfers options off the tee with thick fescue and mounding along the right and a bunker at 230 yards on the left that narrows the fairway. Golfers laying back of this will have a short iron approach into an elevated green that features both back-to-front and right-to-left slopes. The green site is quite majestic, with a deep bunker short, a swale of tight lies left, and fescue long and right.
The 9th hole takes you to the northernmost spot on the course as an 142 yard par 3. This is the shortest hole at Royal Dublin as an attractive one-shotter playing over fescue to an undulating green defended by bunkers on its front corners. I had a pretty good round going before shanking it here so it’s fair to say I didn’t see this hole properly.
As mentioned earlier, Royal Dublin is a tale of two nines and the back 9 plays almost 600 (!) yards longer as a par 37. Eight of these holes play in the southern direction and this can be a very tough stretch of holes if the wind is into you, as it often is. While the front 9 is quirky and somewhat smushed in a straight line along the edge of the property, the back 9 plays inland over a much larger property and feels more expansive and open. This is probably a good thing, as you will be taking your driver out plenty here.
The 10th hole is the number 1 handicap as a 419 yard dogleg right par 4. While there’s rough down either side and a right bunker at 265 yards, this fairway is quite generous and golfers should look to maximize their distance on this teeshot. The approach is a memorable one and plays over a diagonal hazard to a relatively flat green.
At 527 yards, the 11th is the longest hole on the course as an excellent dogleg right par 5. Again playing quite open, this hole features a generous fairway that turns to the right around two bunkers at 265 yards. The lay-up area is a bit tighter, but still fair and contains a bunker down the right about 100 yards short of the green and another in the middle of the fairway a bit in front of that. This putting surface is defended by another bunker short left and is rather narrow, sloping back-to-front.
The 12th is the lone par 3 on the back at 151 yards and is another really attractive short hole with gorse and mountains in the background. This one-shotter features a small green with a horizontal ridge running through it and deep bunkers on either side.
The 13th hole is a strong 409 yard par 4 that plays as a dogleg left. With a hazard running down the right and mounds of rough down the left, this hole slowly bends to the left with a narrow fairway. This green is also narrow and slopes back-to-front with a bunker short left.
The 14th is Royal Dublin’s final par 5 as a straightaway risk/reward hole at 506 yards. This fairway is generous but golfers must avoid bunkers on either side at 190 yards and one further up on the left at 235 yards. You’ll have to make a decision on the second shot, as a well-placed creek runs through the fairway about 60 yards short of the green with bunkers on either side just short of this. Those who can carry the hazard will have to navigate another bunker short right of a two-tier, back-to-front sloped green.
The 15th is the only hole on the back 9 to face north and begins a memorable closing stretch as a 413 yard par 4. This hole features a generous fairway lined by a clump of trees and bunker down the right at 250 yards and rough on the left. A pair of barrier bunkers 60 yards short of the green makes for a gorgeous approach to an undulating putting surface containing several mounds.
At just 266 yards, the 16th offers a brief respite on a tough stretch as a fun short par 4. This hole feels somewhat like a long par 3, with a back-to-front sloped green in the distance and very little fairway short to entice golfers to lay-up. Large bunkers defend this green short and right, while additional bunkers narrow the fairway significantly just before this. It is a relatively weak hole without much risk to make the golfer think, but a nice chance to steal a birdie late in your round.
The 17th hole is a stronger par 4 featuring a teeshot out to the left towards a generous fairway lined by bunkers down either side between 185 and 220 yards and a drainage ditch down the right. This approach plays back to the right towards a subtle green defended by bunkers right and short left.
Royal Dublin’s closing hole is its most famous as the longest par 4 on the course at 453 yards. This is a very unique and quirky 90 degree dogleg right with a fairway that turns sharply at 320 yards. This teeshot is challenging, with an initially wide fairway that narrows significantly around 250 yards with a bunker down the left. Cutting the corner on the right looks enticing but this is actually internal OB and nicknamed the “Garden”. The best teeshots hug the right side of the fairway, leaving an approach over the Garden to an extremely large and flat green.
General Comments: As the only course in Ireland with a “Royal” name, Royal Dublin is a proper Club and one of the friendlier courses with this designation. The clubhouse built in 1953 is quite attractive and a great place for a post-round Guinness. Built on very flat terrain, the course is a wonderful walk with a caddie. Royal Dublin features a grass driving range near the parking lot.
Verdict: While it may lack the drama and views of some of its Irish neighbors, Royal Dublin is a classic out-and-back links with some impressive history, proper conditioning, and a wonderful closing stretch. It is certainly worth a visit and is an ideal first or last round on an Irish golf trip given its proximity to Dublin Airport.
